U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and fellow Democrat Gov. Maggie Hassan supported President Barack Obama’s decision Friday to reject the Keystone XL pipeline, while Republican U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte disagreed with the president.Ayotte said in a statement:“I am disappointed the President today rejected the Keystone XL Pipeline, which has been under review for more than seven years and has cleared environmental reviews by his own administration. This project enjoys the support of Republicans, Democrats, manufacturers, and labor unions, and affected states have supported it. As our nation accelerates towards a clean energy future and a healthier environment, conventional sources of energy will remain an important part of our energy mix in the near term, and ideally North American energy sources, – rather than those from the Middle East, should be utilized to meet our energy needs.”Hassan, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, said:"Rejecting the Keystone XL tar-sands pipeline was the right decision for our environment and natural resources, for addressing climate change, and for pursuing a cleaner energy future. I previously expressed my concerns to Secretary of State John Kerry about the Portland-Montreal Pipeline and specifically the use of tar sands oil, which is more difficult to clean up following spills than traditional oil and generates more carbon dioxide."Hassan added: "Any large-scale energy project must be carefully examined to determine whether it meets the needs of local communities and provides significant energy benefits, allows for the continued development of long-term alternatives, guarantees a transparent public process, and protects natural resources. My focus in New Hampshire has been on diversifying our energy sources and encouraging renewable forms of energy like we are with New Hampshire’s 10-year strategy, and that should be the focus at the federal level too."Shaheen said:“Major energy infrastructure projects deserve the comprehensive environmental and safety review process that the Keystone XL pipeline has received. I voted to reject attempts in the Senate to bypass this important review and force immediate approval of this project because doing so would have set a dangerous precedent for similar projects in New Hampshire. I had, and continue to have, serious concerns about the environmental impacts of developing projects like Keystone XL that would transport tar sands oil, which emit even more carbon dioxide than traditional oil. We need a smart and thoughtful energy policy that creates jobs while also addressing the negative impacts of climate change.”

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“I am disappointed the President today rejected the Keystone XL Pipeline, which has been under review for more than seven years and has cleared environmental reviews by his own administration. This project enjoys the support of Republicans, Democrats, manufacturers, and labor unions, and affected states have supported it. As our nation accelerates towards a clean energy future and a healthier environment, conventional sources of energy will remain an important part of our energy mix in the near term, and ideally North American energy sources, – rather than those from the Middle East, should be utilized to meet our energy needs.”

Hassan, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, said:

"Rejecting the Keystone XL tar-sands pipeline was the right decision for our environment and natural resources, for addressing climate change, and for pursuing a cleaner energy future. I previously expressed my concerns to Secretary of State John Kerry about the Portland-Montreal Pipeline and specifically the use of tar sands oil, which is more difficult to clean up following spills than traditional oil and generates more carbon dioxide."

Hassan added: "Any large-scale energy project must be carefully examined to determine whether it meets the needs of local communities and provides significant energy benefits, allows for the continued development of long-term alternatives, guarantees a transparent public process, and protects natural resources. My focus in New Hampshire has been on diversifying our energy sources and encouraging renewable forms of energy like we are with New Hampshire’s 10-year strategy, and that should be the focus at the federal level too."

Shaheen said:

“Major energy infrastructure projects deserve the comprehensive environmental and safety review process that the Keystone XL pipeline has received. I voted to reject attempts in the Senate to bypass this important review and force immediate approval of this project because doing so would have set a dangerous precedent for similar projects in New Hampshire. I had, and continue to have, serious concerns about the environmental impacts of developing projects like Keystone XL that would transport tar sands oil, which emit even more carbon dioxide than traditional oil. We need a smart and thoughtful energy policy that creates jobs while also addressing the negative impacts of climate change.”